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The City Of Zion Part 11
Light and Darkness
Introduction
This booklet is part eleven of a fourteen part series on the subject of the "City of Zion", and what I call spiritual "light and darkness" will be discussed in this lesson. These lessons can also be obtained on CDs or audio cassettes. Most believers are aware that we live in a deceived evil world. The Bible calls it this present evil world (or age); in which those in Christ are delivered from (Gal 1:4). The Bible also mentions in very many scriptures a certain "darkness", and this type of darkness can only mean there are deceptions that cannot be "seen" (or not understood). Jesus Christ is called the "true light" that now shines, and the "darkness" is now past for true believers (1John 2:8). For that "darkness" to be past means that the deceptions of this evil age have been lifted, and those in Christ can now "see"; because the "true light" has exposed these deceptions. The concept of this type of light and darkness is very easy to understand, but an honest effort must be made to study the words of God to understand the Godly purpose of this type of light and darkness. To "walk in darkness" is to walk in deception, and people are NOT aware they are deceived. The point is, that is how deception works, and those that love this present evil world therefore have no interest in the words of God, and they do not know the "true light" that will "divide" light from darkness. God has to call and open their minds so that they are able to "see" in this "darkened" world. The Holy Spirit causes believers to take a serious interest in the meanings of the words of God; then the "true light" will shine that causes true love, joy, peace, and liberty, and believers are then "delivered" from this present evil world (age). Please read this lesson very carefully….
This is now my eleventh lesson on the subject of Zion, and I want to say that this series I am doing on Zion will no doubt go on for an indefinite period of time. Today I want to talk about on what is called "light and darkness" as it relates to the subject of Zion. I want to talk about spiritual light which simply could be called truth, and spiritual darkness which could be called deception; which also can be called an enlightened mind as compared to a darkened mind.
When I gave my first lesson on Zion I did not plan to stay on this subject, but here I am almost a year later doing part eleven. I had no way of knowing where this study was leading me, and I have found that the study of Zion leads to other things that I have theologically linked with Zion. What I am doing, as most of you know, is just taking scriptures in sequence where Zion is found and I am still in the book of Psalms. In my studies so far I have only taken maybe one or two scriptures in the book of Psalms where Zion is found, and was able to build my subjects on these one or two scriptures in each lesson.
As I prepare my lessons I do not know what my subject will be or what I’ll be talking about until I comment on the scripture where Zion appears, and even then I’m not certain I’ll stay on that subject until maybe half way into my lesson. As I read the verses I want to get the correct context of what is talked about, and why and how Zion is connected with the context. Then I look up the meanings of certain words and also how these meanings are connected with Zion. I must say that so far in these studies my efforts have been rewarding to me personally, and my respect for the scriptures has grown.
You see, I consider myself a seeker of truth which only means I do not know and understand the word of God as I should. Why should I seek for truth if it doesn’t matter what I believe, or if all that matters is to just believe on Jesus Christ and His sacrifice? If I seek for truth it only means I am not content to believe certain doctrines as I have for many years. Why should anyone seek for truth if they are content with what they believe, or why search the scriptures at all if there is no desire to be taught by the scriptures? And if there is no interest in searching the scriptures it only means there is no desire to learn from the scriptures.
1Corinthians 13:3-6 KJV And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. (4) Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, (5) Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; (6) Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth;
Charity has many fruits but it also rejoices in the truth. But the point is, we cannot rejoice if we don’t know what to rejoice in. The truth is designed to cause truth seekers to rejoice, but only if they seek for the truth, and only when there is true understanding can rejoicing come, and that rejoicing in the truth can only be found by the scriptures actually teaching us. But we must be as humble little children willing to learn what the words of God are actually saying. If people are content in what they believe is truth, then of course there will be no desire to learn if what they believe is in fact true. What I am saying; just because some are indeed convinced what they believe is truth does not make it the truth.
What were we all taught most of your lives as being the truth about the subject of Zion, or mount Zion, or the daughter of Zion? All of us were born in a so-called Christian world that has its own belief system, and generally our parents and all the Churches had a major impact on what all of us believe as truth. We just naturally and automatically never questioned our parents and all the Churches on what was taught as truth to us most of our lives. I am convinced that most of what modern Christianity believes and teaches has to be questioned. I know from my own personal experience of study in the past year or so I have come to understand things that in the past never entered my mind, or I no longer believe as I used to believe. The next scripture where Zion is found is Psalms 135:13-21:
KJV Thy name, O LORD, endureth for ever; and thy memorial, O LORD, throughout all generations. For the LORD will judge his people, and he will repent himself concerning his servants. (15) The idols of the heathen are silver and gold, the work of men's hands. (16) They have mouths, but they speak not; eyes have they, but they see not; (17) They have ears, but they hear not; neither is there any breath in their mouths. (18) They that make them are like unto them: so is every one that trusteth in them. (19) Bless the LORD, O house of Israel: bless the LORD, O house of Aaron: (20) Bless the LORD, O house of Levi: ye that fear the LORD, bless the LORD. (21) Blessed be the LORD out of Zion, which dwelleth at Jerusalem. Praise ye the LORD.
It says the house of Israel, Aaron, Levi, and all that fear Jehovah are to bless Jehovah that judges them out of Zion. But then it says: which dwelleth at Jerusalem. But in Psalms 76:2 it says: In Salem also is his tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion. Also Psalms 9:11 says: Sing praises to the LORD, which dwelleth in Zion: declare among the people his doings.
It is obvious that Zion is a part of heavenly Jerusalem. I find it interesting that God dwells in Zion and also at Jerusalem; which again shows that Zion is in Jerusalem, and it means that God dwells IN Zion at the same time He dwells AT Jerusalem. God’s "memorial" means memento; by implication commemoration. It is the memorial, memory, remembrance, and commemoration of Jehovah that endures throughout all generations. But it is also Jehovah’s name that endures "for ever"; so why would His name endure forever but His memorial is only limited to all generations? The reason I ask that question is because the word "generation" means revolution of time or an age; and therefore it would have nothing to do with what we call "forever". I ask again; are we to assume that Jehovah’s name endures for all eternity but the memorial of Jehovah would not? This apparent difficulty will disappear if we just understand that the word "forever" is taken from the Hebrew word "olam"; which has to do with time; a concealed vanishing point of time.
In previous lessons I talked quite a lot about the word olam, and how it is plainly defined by Strong’s Concordance, and that definition does NOT agree with what we have been told "forever" means by our Christian environment that all of us grew up in. The point is, there is no way for us to even comprehend what "forever" is all about. That is why I feel it is best to continue to draw attention to the true meaning of "forever" taken from the word "olam" in the correct context it is used in our Bibles. That is all I am doing in these lessons and then we can all choose what to believe. We can choose to believe the definition of Strong’s Concordance, or we can choose to believe the way modern Christianity generally believes and teaches. I am asking that you do not believe me; but I am asking that you believe the meaning of words.
There cannot be generations, ages, or time in the realm of forever and eternity. The point I am making is that "all generations" and the word "forever" do NOT explain what we would call forever and eternity. Psalm 135 only explains that Jehovah’s name and His memorial endures only during concealed time of all the ages. But of course it doesn’t mean that Jehovah’s name and memorial will not continue on for eternity even after the ending of time and all the ages. But Jehovah’s name and memorial can also continue alongside all ages and vanishing points of time; which is the premise of why God inspired the word "olam" whenever the English word "forever" appears in scripture.
God inspired sound biblical hermeneutics using only words that can be understood consistently. I use the word "hermeneutics" because that word means the art of expounding the scriptures. That art of expounding and explaining scripture is only found in certain original Hebrew words that are used consistently with consistent meanings. Please understand; just because God had no beginning and has no ending, and eternity had no beginning and has no ending does not mean that God and eternity cannot exist alongside time, generations, ages, and concealed points of time. No matter how we try and explain what forever and eternity means; our minds are still only limited to understand the passing of time and the ages. Young’s properly translates Psalms 135:13 as follows; O Jehovah, Thy name is to the age, O Jehovah, Thy memorial to all generations. The Hebrew word olam has to do with age, and age CAN be understood and explained.
Do we begin to see why we should look at the meaning of words if we truly are serious about understanding scripture; which has to do with what spiritual "light and darkness" is all about. We cannot understand eternity which has no beginning or ending; which again is why the words of God used in Psalm 135, and also in many other scriptures, only relates to concealed time and ages that are destined to eventually vanish. We will not and we cannot know what eternity and forever truly is until we’re all resurrected with out spiritual bodies when we are no longer dependent on the physical phenomena known as time, generations, and ages. Time will vanish for us and then we will be able to truly experience eternity and not be dependent of the phenomena called "time". One day will seem like a thousand years and vice versa; just like it seems to God.
2Peter 3:8 KJV But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.
Peter instructed us to not be ignorant of what time, generations, and ages mean to God. To not be ignorant of God being separate from the passing of time is to be in the light of the truth of prophecy in the context of what Peter was explaining. To be in darkness is to be in ignorance of how time and ages is a passing phenomenon that will eventually vanish.
We read in Psalm 135 that the idols of the heathen have mouths but don’t speak; eyes that do not see, and ears that do not hear. That is talking about spiritual light and spiritual darkness. Of course there were no doubt actual physical idols made of silver and gold; the work of men’s hands that ancient Israel was involved with in their false worship; but what about the imaginary idols of the mind that also are obeyed and worshipped? Idols worshipped in the mind will take us away from God, which simply are doctrines about God that are false.
These idols of the mind are the way we think and believe; and they will not be given up in place of the truth and the light unless the Spirit of God causes us to give those idols up. Idols of the mind are false beliefs that can cause the mind to not see and not hear the things of God. Eyes that see not and ears that hear not is the spiritual message of Psalm 135, and this has to do with the subject of Zion, as we read.
Jehovah will judge His people on all these physical and spiritual idols, and as we read He will not repent himself concerning His servants. That Hebrew word translated as repent means to be sorry, that is, in a favorable sense to pity, to console, and it was translated most of the time as "comfort"; which simply means that Jehovah comforts His servants. The LITV translation says in Psalms 135:14; For Jehovah will judge His people; and He will have pity on His servants. To judge simply means to rule or to govern based on law, and all idols will simply not be a part of Jehovah’s people and His servants. Notice the word "pity" is used instead of repent. Jehovah feels sorry for His people and servants, and He rules through comfort and pity.
I want to point out something about truth and what Jesus Christ said is called the truth, but does it truly matter if we have a desire to spiritually and mentally grow in what is called the truth? Let us search our hearts for a moment and let’s ask ourselves; do we truly want to understand and be taught from the scriptures? That understanding must be taught by the Spirit of God; but only if there is that curiosity, that desire, that child-like faith of just wanting to know truth. I believe our Heavenly Father gives truth-seekers just enough to wet their appetite, so to speak, in wanting to know more.
Romans 15:4 KJV For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope.
What are we supposed to learn that we might have hope, and the point is this; we will not know what to hope for if we do not learn what that hope is? Please understand; that hope is found by learning through patience and comfort of the scriptures. There is a certain comfort found by learning from the scriptures, and if there is no comfort, or if we simply are not learning then it only means we have no desire to understand what we are to hope for.
We all believe in an all-powerful, all-knowing, almighty creator God, and that kind of almighty powerful God has inspired the scriptures for our learning, and just what is it that we are to learn from what was written aforetime; as we read in Romans 15:4? Only one example of what was written aforetime and repeated many times was the term "Zion"; over 150 times, and why would there be a comfort and a source of hope by learning of Zion?
Job 32:8 KJV But there is a spirit in man: and the inspiration of the Almighty giveth them understanding.
We all have a spirit in us and the almighty God has to give the understanding of the scriptures to our spirits, and as I mentioned there are over 150 scriptures that mention Zion. Our spirits have to be subject to the inspiration of the almighty God, and He has to give the understanding of Zion, and do not ever think that God will give the understanding if there is no desire to understand the truth about Zion, or any other truth for that matter, which brings me to this question; what is truth?
John 18:36-38 KJV Jesus answered, My kingdom is not of this world: if my kingdom were of this world, then would my servants fight, that I should not be delivered to the Jews: but now is my kingdom not from hence. (37) Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. (38) Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all.
Pilate asked Christ what is truth? The cause and reason that Christ was born and came into the world was to bear witness of the truth, and I find it interesting that Pilate didn’t wait for Christ to answer him. Christ did NOT say that everyone that hears His voice is of the truth. It was the other way around; He said everyone that is of the truth hears His voice. To be of the truth is to be "children of light", as we will see.
John 5:31-33 KJV If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. (32) There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. (33) Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth.
John bear witness to the truth about what? It just says; "the truth". Christ was referring to John the Baptist who was another that preached and bare witness of who Jesus Christ was and why Christ came.
John 8:31-32 KJV Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word then are ye my disciples indeed; (32) And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.
What truth was Christ referring to that was to make the Jews free that believed on Christ? But only if they continued in His word, as Christ explained. Free from what? If they continued in Christ’s word they would continue in the truth of Christ’s word, and if that truth is believed then the truth will make not only the Jews of Christ’s day free; but also us who believe the truth. That truth, if we also continue in Christ’s word, will free us from the bondage of sin; from the bondage of deception; from the bondage of fear and unbelief, and from the bondage of an evil world.
If we continue in the truth about Zion, mount Zion, and the daughter of Zion it will free us from the deception of modern Christianity's interpretation of Zion. That truth will free us from this world’s interpretation of who the people of Zion are, and who are promised the inheritance of Zion. Did you very wonder why it seems that no minister or pastor seldom ever speaks on the subject of Zion, or attempts to unravel the truth about Zion? Zion is repeatedly mentioned in the Bible, so why is the truth about Zion seldom ever addressed?
John 14:6 KJV Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Christ made mention of "the truth"; not just a part or some of the truth, but He specifically said THE truth, and then He said what the truth is. He also said what the way to the Father is, and what the life is. THE way, THE truth, and THE life is Jesus Christ. Everything about Jesus Christ is embodied in what is called the way, the truth, and the life; and that way, that truth, and that life became flesh and dwelled among us in the person of Jesus Christ.
The apostle John was inspired to write about the beginning of the creation when God was called the Word and that this Word became flesh in the person of Jesus Christ. Let’s read very carefully the written inspired words of the apostle John and let’s allow our minds to be led by the Spirit of God to believe what John wrote, but of course we can only understand as we are able to understand what God inspired for John to write. John often wrote about what is called the "Light"; which is Jesus Christ. But as we read; Christ is also called the way, the truth, and the life; which can be in us if we truly believe.
John 1:1-17 KJV In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. (2) The same was in the beginning with God. (3) All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (4) In him was life; and the life was the light of men. (5) And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (6) There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. (7) The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. (8) He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. (9) That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. (10) He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. (11) He came unto his own, and his own received him not. (12) But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: (13) Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. (14) And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (15) John bare witness of him, and cried, saying, This was he of whom I spake, He that cometh after me is preferred before me: for he was before me. (16) And of his fulness have all we received, and grace for grace. (17) For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ.
These are some very profound statements. First of all, John takes us to the beginning; which was when all things were made by Him, as John explained in verse 3. In the beginning when all things were made by Him would include when time itself and the ages were created; when there was just what is called the Word, and notice the word is capitalized; which implies that God is more than just a spoken work. In Him was life, and John says that life was the light of men. The light of men means to shine or make manifest. The light of Christ shinned and made manifest the life of men.
God was the logos and logos means more than something said; it can mean a thought, a topic, also reasoning, the mental faculty or motive. Logos means all these things about God and it can simply mean the divine expression of God; which is done through and by Jesus Christ. God expresses himself; His thoughts, His reasoning, His mental faculty, His motive in the person of Jesus Christ; who was the light that shined in darkness. I believe John 1:1-17 is tied to Geneses chapter one because of the way John writes about the light that shined in darkness. In the beginning is what John mentioned, and the light that shined in the darkness is also found in Geneses.
Genesis 1:1-5 KJV In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (2) And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. (3) And God said, Let there be light: and there was light. (4) And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness. (5) And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
What was the light that God called good, and what was that darkness on the face of the deep? Keep in mind the sun, moon, and the stars were not yet made for signs and seasons and to rule the day and night until verse 14 to 16. It doesn’t mean the sun, moon, and the stars were not in existence. I believe they were all created in the beginning; but something happened that caused the earth to become without form and void, and something also caused that darkness on the face of the deep.
The word "was" in the phrase; "without form and void" means to exist, to become, or come to pass. The earth became; it came to pass that the earth existed without form and void; which are words that mean waste, desolation, worthless, empty, and indistinguishable ruin. The question that must be asked; why would God create the earth in that worthless empty condition and in that kind of darkness?
Then the word was spoken "let there be light" and that word was in the beginning, and was with God, and it was God; as explained in John 1:1, as we read. The creation before Geneses 1:14-16 was without the light from the sun, but there were also evenings and mornings, and there was grass, fruit trees, and seed bearing plant life. How can there be three evenings and mornings, and how can grass and plant life grow before the sun was made to rule?
I find it interesting that Genesis 2:5 says:
KJV And every plant of the field before it was in the earth, and every herb of the field before it grew: for the LORD God had not caused it to rain upon the earth, and there was not a man to till the ground.
Notice every plant was in existence before it was in the earth and before it grew, and man was also made in Gen 1:27 and was in existence; but not yet in physical existence to till the ground. Now notice Genesis 2:3:
KJV And God blessed the seventh day, and sanctified it: because that in it he had rested from all his work which God created and made.
Young’s translation of Gen 2:3 says; And God blesseth the seventh day, and sanctifieth it, for in it He hath ceased from all His work which God had prepared for making. I find "prepared for making" very interesting. Could it be that what God created and made in all of Geneses chapter one was God only preparing the physical creation; such as only "preparing" the evenings and mornings, only preparing the grass, plant life, and seed bearing herbs, and only preparing the male and female of the creation of man. Keep in mind this was all BEFORE the plant life grew and was in the earth and BEFORE there was a man to till the ground.
Then in Geneses chapter two it explained how the creation was "formed" and that every beast of the field was "formed" including Adam and Eve. The words "created" and "made" have complete different meanings than the word "formed". In other words, could it be that God PREPARED every living thing in Genesis chapter one, but did not actually bring it into physical FORM until Genesis chapter two? That would explain why three evenings and mornings and all the plant life were not dependent on the rule of the sun. It says God called the light "day" and the darkness He called "night"; but how can there be day and night before the sun ruled, as explained in verse 16? The words Day and Night are capitalized; which implies something more than just the revolution of time called day and night that is caused by the sun.
As we will see there are children of the day and children of night, and that is not talking about the day and night caused by the sun. There is duality in the Bible; the physical temporary type that pointed to the spiritual reality; there is light and darkness in our physical realm; and there is also light and darkness in the spiritual realm. The light could be called truth, and the darkness could be called deception, and when light is contrasted with darkness the truth is what "divides" light from darkness. Truth is what Jesus Christ IS, as we read in John 14:6; which is also why He is called the Light, as also explained. God the Word, which later became flesh, is what "divided" the light from the darkness of Geneses one.
The Bible talks about children of light and children of darkness. As we read in John 1:5 it says darkness does not comprehend the light, in spite of the light shinning in the darkness. The word "comprehended" means to seize and possess, or to lay hold of. I find it interesting that verse 4 says that in Christ was life and that life was the light of men; and then John says: that true light lighteth every man that cometh into the world.
The word "lighteth" means to shed rays, to shine, to brighten up, to enlighten, illuminate, or make to see. Every man that comes into the world or is born in the world truly means every man. Christ sheds rays of light on every man so that every man can is enlightened; can be illuminated, and made to see the true light; but every man goes through darkness and the light is not comprehended; is not seized, possessed, and laid hold of.
Luke 3:4-7 KJV As it is written in the book of the words of Esaias the prophet, saying, The voice of one crying in the wilderness, Prepare ye the way of the Lord, make his paths straight. (5) Every valley shall be filled, and every mountain and hill shall be brought low; and the crooked shall be made straight, and the rough ways shall be made smooth; (6) And all flesh shall see the salvation of God. (7) Then said he to the multitude that came forth to be baptized of him, O generation of vipers, who hath warned you to flee from the wrath to come?
John the Baptist preached to prepare the way for Christ; which is the light. The symbolic ways and paths known as every mountain and hill were to be brought low, and the crooked ways made straight, rough ways made smooth by that Light. But did all this happen in the days of Jesus Christ, and has all Adamite flesh truly seen the salvation of God, and has the wrath of God come yet in a real sense?
The Israelites of Christ’s day looked to John the Baptist as the prophet that was to come to set up the kingdom that they expected. They read and believed the Old Testament scriptures, and along came a man that preached the baptism of repentance, and he baptized the Israelites that repented that were looking for and expecting that kingdom. They knew they had to be symbolically cleansed of their sins to be a part of that kingdom and to escape the wrath to come; and the Israelites believed him.
But the apostle John wrote and plainly explained that John the Baptist was not the man. John only bare witness of that Light, as we read back in John 1:8; and only through that Light could all men believe in the kingdom. The fullness of Christ is the full embodiment of grace and truth; which we read in John 1:16; which can also be called the full Light that shines in darkness. The light and truth about Zion is a part of that fullness of Christ.
John 12:35-36 KJV Then Jesus said unto them, Yet a little while is the light with you. Walk while ye have the light, lest darkness come upon you: for he that walketh in darkness knoweth not whither he goeth. (36) While ye have light, believe in the light, that ye may be the children of light. These things spake Jesus, and departed, and did hide himself from them.
Christ explained how to have the light; it is to walk in the light, and if we do not walk; darkness will replace the light. We all know what the "walk" of a true believer is. To walk means to tread all around, walk at large; it means to live, to follow as a companion, to be occupied with. When we have the light we are to believe in the light, and if we believe we are called children of light. As children of light we are to live, follow as a companion, and be occupied with Jesus Christ; who is the truth and the true light.
Light is truth, and we are to believe the truth, but we must live and walk as a companion to the truth; we must be occupied with the truth, and that truth is found in the meanings of the original words of God. And when those words are believed then the Spirit of God opens the mind to let the light shine in, and then darkness will be "divided" from the light.
To stay in darkness is to not accept and believe the words of God, and we will not know where we are going, as Christ explained in verse 35. We will not even comprehend the light or that the light is even shinning, as was explained in John 1:5. Light and truth is what exposes deception and darkness, but the light and truth must be believed and lived by, it must be a companion with us. We must be occupied with learning what the deceptions are and that will "divide" the light from darkness. All this is a spiritual process that happens in our minds as we walk in the light of the truth.
Ephesians 5:6-8 KJV Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience. (7) Be not ye therefore partakers with them. (8) For ye were sometimes darkness, but now are ye light in the Lord: walk as children of light:
It’s all about the children of disobedience being deceived with vain words, and we are not to be partakers, or co-participant in accepting and believing those vain words. As Christ explained, Paul also explained; we are to walk as children of light then we will know what the deceptions are in a world that embraces what is called Christianity; otherwise we will not comprehend and know, or even be aware of what the darkness is.
Deceptions come by vain words which simply mean empty words; words that have no substance or no weight in shedding light on the truths of God. But we must know what vain empty words are, and that is done by walking as children of light; allowing the light to expose the vain empty words. The wrath of God (Eph. 5:6 as we read) is simply not needed if we understand the purpose of light and darkness, and what it is that divides light from darkness, and what divides truth from deception; so that we can know what to follow, and what to be a companion of, and be occupied with.
We can know the purpose of light as opposed to darkness, truth as opposed to deception. We can know how these opposing walks of life can be contrasted and divided, and God gives us the understanding to divide these opposing things we face in daily life; but only if we walk as children of light to avoid the wrath of God.
1Thessalonians 5:3-6 KJV For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. (4) But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. (5) Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. (6) Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober The children of light are also called children of the day; not children of the night or of darkness.
As I mentioned before, in Geneses one God called the light day and the darkness He called night. From what Paul said; could it be that day and night in Geneses is only a figurative day and night; simply because it was not caused by the sun?
Isaiah 8:20-22 KJV To the law and to the testimony: if they speak not according to this word, it is because there is no light in them. (21) And they shall pass through it, hardly bestead and hungry: and it shall come to pass, that when they shall be hungry, they shall fret themselves, and curse their king and their God, and look upward. (22) And they shall look unto the earth; and behold trouble and darkness, dimness of anguish; and they shall be driven to darkness.
Here again the figurative light and darkness in mentioned. When there is no light there is no truth; which is caused by not speaking the law and testimony according to God’s word. As we read, there is trouble and dimness of anguish when in darkness, and the point is; we are driven to darkness when the law and testimony is spoken "not according to this word"; and I might add, when it is also not believed according the original inspired written words of God.
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